Air-gun.



`E. H. SEARLE.

AIR GUN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1907. mmnwn SEPT. 1v, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented May 31, 1910.

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2 SHEETS-sign 2.

E.H.SBARLB.

AIR GUN.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 2, 1907. BENBWED SEPT. 17, 1909.

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PATENT4 OFFICE.

.ELBERT- HAMILTON Smm, or STRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

moon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31,. A1910.

Application led August 2, 1907, Serial No. 386,847. w Renewed September 17, 1909. Serial I/Io. 518,284.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it 'known that I, ELBERT HAMILTON SEARLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at 5() Madison avenue, in the city of Springfield, county of Hampden, `and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention rela-tes to air guns of that type in which the propelling air is developed by a spring driven piston, which is set in a position with thes ring under compression, and released at will, to permit the spring to drive the piston forward and develop the air pressure necessary for propeiling the shot through the bore of the gun.

The object of my invention is to produce a gun of this type which shall be of cheap yet durable construct-ion, convenient to ma-A nipulate, and eiiicient in operation.

To these ends, my invention consists in certain-novel features of construction and 'relations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In prder that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, A

Figure 1 is a side view of the complete gun; Fig. Q is a top View of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical aXlal sectionof the intermediate portion of the gun, on an enlarged scale, showing the working parts in posit-ron read for discharging; Fig. 4 is a vertical longltudinal section of the gun on a scale larger than Fig. 1, but smaller than Fig. 3, showing the parts in discharged position; Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section, 0n an enlarged scale, of the working parts of the gun in a position intermediate bet-Ween the position shown in Fig. 3 and that shown in Fig. 4, the piston, spring, spring abutment, and rod being collectively moved rearward-to engage the rod over the sear, preliminar-y to putting the spring under tension by swinging the lever upward and moving the spring abutment forward against the restrained spring; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the false barrel seen from beneath; Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view of the false and true barrels in the relative positions which they7 occupy when the annular magazine chamber between them is being charged with the sphericaly shot used in the gun;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal axial section of the intermediate portion of the gun showing the connection of the `tension and cooking rod ,with the piston and the method of assembling the false barreluwith'the frame eX- tenslon and frame; Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9 9, Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the piston disk; Fig. 11is a detail view of the recip the forearm or grip of the gun and the cylindrical portion 7 whichV provides the forward portion of thereceiver; and 8 repre.

sents the false barrel preferably constructed of sheet metal, fashioned to provide thecy-A tapering rectangular portion 6, providing lindrical lportion 9 and the rear octagonal portion 10; the said rear portion of the barrel being provided with a slot 11 on its underside as shown in Fig. (iwhich permits it to fit over the rectangular portion of the frame extension, and said false barrel having at its rear end the gripping luos 12 which engage the shoulders 13 of the rame extension (see Fig. 8) to hold the false barrel and frame extension together, said rear end of the false barrel fitting snugly within the enlarged forward end 14 of the frame 2 to hold the parts in engagement. The frame extension projects at its rear end between a pair of lugs 15 on the framel and there receives a pintle 16 which passes through said lugs and through the frame extension and holds the frame, frame extension and false barrel in assembled relation.

Those parts of the gun which are constructed of sheet metal, being constructed with open longitudinal seams, can be fitted snugl -together and the seams thereafter close by a solder or equivalent medium if desired. v

17 represents the true barrel having a bore of suitable size to receive a small shot, said true barrel being fitted within the false barthe projectiles into the chamber of the gun. To permit introduction of the shot into the magazine 20, the true barrel may be removed lon itudinally a sufficient distance to open the orward end of the false barrel. For convenience in releasably holding the barrels in their normal relation, the front sight 24 is carried by a spring plate 25 ata tached to the true barrel at 26, and said sight projects yieldingly th-rough a slot 27 in the false barrel and prevents a movement of the true barrel in the false barrel until the sight is depressed, as shown in Fig. 7.

To control the admission of the shot into the chamber and to grip each shot successively and hold it in position not only to prevent dropping out but to resist the piston pressure until sufficient pressure develops to.

act expansively yagainst the shot and drive it forward with increased velocity, the rear endof the true barrel is provided with a chamber lining 28 that serves as a shot retainer, which is in the form of'a split cylinder, having a recess 29 which may be moved beneath the port 23, but adapted to close said port by its forward end 30 when the chamber lining is drawn rearward. The chamber lining or shot retainer is so proportioned that it naturally ytends to contract upon the shot and grip it with a sufficient degree of firmness to develop the resistance referred to, but is expanded as it moves forward to open the port and admit the shot. '10 thus control the chamber lining or shot retainer, the.l piston31 carries a spreading pin 32 which enters the lining at the end of the forward stroke, as the piston, drives the lining forward to open the port and said pin expands the lining to admit a new shot; then, as the piston withdraws, the pin draws the lining rearward by friction, closes the port, and, on leaving the lining, permits it to contract and grip the shot. ,l

To develop the fluid pressure for driving the shot, piston 31 is suitably housed in a cylinder 33, and provided with a triggerreleased cooking or restraiiiin connection and a suitable resilient impe ling device with tensioning means as hereafter described. For structural considerations, cyl inder 33, at its forward end, ts the falsebarrel, carries the spacing and packing ring 19, and receives the inner end of the true barrel which fits a central aperture in the packing; while at its rear end, said cylinder fits the frame extension and is open to permit play of the resilient piston-driving member.

The piston is constructed with a packing 34 and a disk 35 secured to said packing by y rivets 36. The disk 35 carries the pin 32 which yprojects through the packing to perthe inturned en s 39of .cookingl rod 40.

Y eaaeee form the functionsl already ascribed to it. Disk 35 is constructed with-rearwardly -projecting ears 37 Verforatedat 38 to receive the restraining and .The resilient device i referably-comprises a helicall sprin compressing it om its rearend, while its forward end abuts'a ainst the restrained orcocked piston 31,wh1ch holds such com ression until 4the piston is released, an the tension is expended in driving the 'piston forward in the cylinder.

41, t at is tensioned by Rod 40 is bifurcated and its members are spaced apart by theears 37 a distance a prorimately the internal diameter of t e coil s ring 41 so that when the parts are assembled, the spring prevents the members of the rod from leaving the ears by which the rod is connected to the iston. Spring 41 is confined in the cylindli'ical portion 7 ofthe f-rame extension-5, and in the .rear end of cylinder 33. It is tensioned from its rear en `by the forward movement of an abutment 42; the latter carries a rack 43' by which rearward and forward movements are imparted to it; the rearward movement causing rod 40, piston 31 ands ring 41 (relaXed) to move rearwardl co til the rod is cocked over a iixed sear 4", where it remains, restraining the piston in 'readiness to resist the forward end of the ment (the piston) being restrained by the' cooking, while the rear abutment is held forward by the operating lever to be described. Again, it will be seen that the workis put into one end of the spring and taken o'if at the other end.

actively, un-

Abutment 43 is guided by the s aced edges the abutment to work forward on the rod in,

compressing the spring. y 43 represents the loading, cooking and tension lever which is designed to imitate suesse the corresponding portion of lever actionuns. It 1s fulcrumed on the pintle 16 b itsV slot 47 and carries the trigger 48 fu.- crumed at 49 and having a shoulder 50 which engages 'beneath the rod 40 when the parts are 1n ring position, and is thus adaptedvto raise the rod out of engagement with the head 4a of the fixed sear.

The operation of the gun is as follows: By depressing the front sight 24, the true lo barrel 17 may be drawn outward suiiiciently to open the end of the false barrel and per-v mit introduction of shot to the magazine`20. The true barrel is then pressed inward until the sight 24 snaps into its slot and the gun will be ready for repeated tiring; By pressing vdown the lever 46, the abutment 42 engaging shoulders 40, 1s caused to draw the rod 40, piston 31, and spring 41, rearward until the rod 40 engages over the fixed Sear 4B. As the spring is not compressed by this operation, the lever is moved in the forward direction with ease. After the rod is engaged with the sear, the lever is drawn rearward and upward to force the abutment 42 forward, and put the spring under compression. Inasmuc as the spring is compressed by a direct pul instead of by pushing with the back of the lngers in the lever, the loading action is greatly facilitated. On pressff ing the lever against the grip of the gun,

the slot 47 permits the shoulder 51.to ride behind the spur 52 up over and engage and inasmuch as the lever is resisting the rearward movement of the abutment under the action of the spring, the lever will be held secure y latched until orciblymoved dowriward.I The spring thus serves a secondary purpose in addition to driving the piston. By pulling the trigger 48, the rod 40 is raised from the sear 4 and the piston drives forward, compressing the air in the cylinder 33 and developing pressure suiliciently to drive the shot through the bore. Since the trigger is carried by the lever, V,there can be no premature discharge of the gun. Inasmuch as the shot is gripped bythe retainer 28, it will resist the air until considerable pressure is developed, whereupon jectile and develop a very much greater velocity therein than would result merely from the forward movement of the piston imparted immediatel to the projectile. The

pin 32 enters the ining 2 8, and spreads it as the piston drives it forward to open the port for a new shot. Inasmuch as the lining is spread, the shot will move rearwardly under gravity, the muzzle of the gun being held slightly elevated, and will follow the pin as it withdraws until the retainer is permitted to clamp upon the shot. The friction between the pin and the retainer is suiicient to draw the latter rearward. and close the port against the admission of another shot -until the gun is again discharged'. The pin -is flattened to avoid cutting o How of air -ljection struck from 'the metal of the true barrel in which the lining works.

the air will act expansively against the pro-` through the end ofthe bore. vThe lining is limited in its movements byia. bead or pro- Having thus described my ,-invention,

what I claim a'n'dldesire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a gun, the combination of the stock member, the frame member, and a screw passing through the rear wall of the frame member into the stock member and drawing said members together; the abutting portion of each of said members being provided by faces atan angle to each other; the abutting faces on one member forming a reentrant angle, and those on the' other member forming an external angle, whereby the members interlock to prevent relative transverse movement. I

2. In a gun, the combination of the stock member, the frame member, and a screw passing through the rear wall of the frame member into the stock member and drawing said members together; the abutting portion of each of said members being provided by two faces meeting in acentral `vertical line; the faces of one member forming arent-rant angle or V-shaped groove and those of the other member forming an external angle or V-shaped projection'.

3. In a gun, the combination of the reciprocating member,tl1e fixed sear engaged by the reciprocating member, and the trigger for `disengaging the reciprocating member from the Sear, and means moving the trigger bodily out of reach of the reciprocating member during the cocking of the gun.

4. In a the frame extension fitted within the frame, the barrel member fitted over the frame extension, and means securing said parts in the relation described. l

5. In a gun the combination of the frame, 110 the frame extension fitted within the frame, and the barrel member fitted over the frame extension, having projections engaging the frame extension and tted `within the end of gun the combination of the frame, l

the frame to hold the parts in such engagement.

6. In a gun the combination of the frame, the frame extension, the barrel member fitting over and engaging with the frame extension and entering the frame to preventdisengagement, and the pintle securing the frame extension against longitudinal moi-'ement in the frame. f

7. In a gun the combination of the frame,

the` frame extension having a cylindrical i portion fitting within the frame, and movable endwise thereinto, and a downwardly extending portion, the barrel'member fitted over the frame extensiomand engaging therewith, and means interlocking the down 13@ i the frame to the frame extension with prevent relative movement of ward extension of the parts.

8. In a gun the( combination of the frame the frame extension, the barrel member and the c linder tting the frame extension and said barrel-member.

9. In an air gun the combination of the false barrel, the true barrel, the spacin and packing rings fixing the positlon o the true barrel in the false barrel and the -front sight carried by the true barrel and yieldingly projecting therefrom through an opening inI the false barrel to prevent relative movement between the barrels.

10. In a gun, the combination of the frame, the frame extension constructedwith a cylindrical; portion iitted into the frame and with a downwardly extended portion projecti below the frame, and the barrel memberntted over the cylindrical portion ofthe frame extension and slotted to permit the downwardly extendin portion ofthe frame extension to protrude t erethrough.

11. In a the combination of the false and true barrels spaced apart to form a magazine chamber between them and the inclined disk surrounding the true barrel within the false barrel and constructed to leave a passage way, for shot, past the disk;

the true barrel having an openmg in posi? tion to receive the shot directed by the 1nclined disk.

12. In a gun thefcombination of the false barrel, the true barrel suitably spaced within the false barrel, and having an opening' for" the introductionlof shot and thev inclined member surrounding the true barrel and havin -an o enin therein vcorres ondin' g P s in posltion to the opening in the true barrel.

13. In a gun the combination of the magazine, the true-barrel provided with a chamberv having a port to admit shot from the magazine, and the chamber-lining within the true-barrel, sliding'therein topopen vand close said port and receiving the shot within it.

14. In a gun the combination of the magazine, the true-barrel provided with a chamber having a. port to admit shot from the magazine, and the chamber-lining within the true-barrel, sliding therein to open and close said port, having anopening movable into and out of register with the port in the true-barrel, and receiving the shot within it.

15. In a gu'n the combination of the barrel having an expansible chamber into which the shot are introduced, and means expanding said chamber to permit introduction of the shot and then withdrawing to permit the chamber to ip the shot. j,

16. In a gun le combination of the barrel having an expansible chamber, an expanding pin adapted to enter said chamber and expand it to admit the shot; said chamber cease@ being constructed to contractupon the shot i as the expanding pin withdraws.

17. In a gun the combination with the barrel, having a port to receive the shot, the expansible chamber lining within the barrel, adapted when expanded to contain a shot,

movable in the barrel'to open and admit a the chamber lining to open the port and havin means for simultaneously entering said lming to expand it to receive the shot;

said expanding means moving said lining in the direction to close the ton withdraws. v

19. In a gun the combination ofthe barrel having a port, the chamber lining movable in the barrel to open and close the portand expansible to admit the shot tothe lining, andthe piston carrying an expanding pm adapted to enter the chambenlining.

port as the pis-- 20.. In a gun, the combination of a resilient' device, two movable abutments for the resilient device, movable jointly for cocking the gun, and movable relatively7 for tensioning the resilient device, and a cooking means connected to one of the abutments and working through the other abutment; said v cooking means being constructed with a shoulder which engages the abutment through which it'works, to limit the separation of the abutments under the action of the resilient means, and having a Sear-engaging end projecting beyond said shoulder.

21. In a gun, the combination of a resilient device, two movable abutments for the resilient device movable jointly 'for cocking the gun and relatively fortensionin the resilient device, and a connecting rod xed to one abutment, working over but confined against transverse displacement relatively to the other abutment and constructed with a shoulder intermediate of vits ends to limit the movement df the connecting'rod on said abutment and provide an extension of the connecting-rod 'through lwhich it may be restrained in cocking thegun.

22. In a spring gun, a self-containedfre-` silient device comprising twoV abutments constructed for movable introduction into the gun, Ia connecting rod iixed relatively to one of the abutments but working longitudinally relatively to the other abutment,

and a spring surrounding the rod and confined between the abutments; the rod being constructed with a shoulder which `engages the abutment through which the rod works,

on the side opposite the spring, to resist separation of the abutments under the action of the spring, and said rod being constructed with a Sear-engaging end projecting rearwardly from said shoulder.

23. In a gun, the combination of a tensioning device with a'lever slidably mounted normally lying along the stock, and a connection between the two whereby when the lever is pulled toward the user and its norv mal position, the tensioning device is moved in the direction to develop tension; said lever having a latch engaging and disengaging by a movement of the lever under the intluence of or in opposition to the tensioning device.

24. In a gun the combination of the piston, releasable restraining means automatically becoming effective -when the piston is .moved rearward, a spring for driving the piston forward, a spring' abutment movable to compress the spring, and a lever engaging the spring abutment; said lever carrying a trigger brought into releasing relation to the piston restraining means, by the moyement of the levervwhich imparts compressv ing movement to the spring abutment.

ulcrum point in the ypressure o t 25. In a gun the combination ofthe air driving piston, the restraining rod connected thereto, the sear with which said rod engages when the piston is moved rearward, the spring for driving the piston, the abutment for compressingthe spring, the lever for moving said abutment and a trigger carried by said lever` and brought into releasing relation to the rod by the movement of the lever which compresses the spring.

26. In a gun, the combination with the piston, the spring abutment the s ring 1ocated between the piston and' the a utment, the sear for restraininfr the spring, and the cockin and abutmentimiting-rod connected wit the piston, working through the abutment, offset intermediate of its ends to provide a shoulder engaging said abutment,

in the direction to limit the separation of the abutmentA from the piston and havingl a sear engaging end beyond said offset.

27. Inagun the combination of the spring driven piston,'-the spring tensioning abutment, the fulcrumed lever for moving said abutment and the retaining latch for said lever; said lever 'bei movable to shift its direction to release and engage the latch and being held in the direction of en agement with said latch, by the e piston s ring. 28. In a gun, the combination of the piston, the spring for driving the piston, the abutment for said spring, and the double rod connected th the piston, 'having its members Working through slots -in the abut- L v ment, and constructed with deections forward of its rear end formin shoulders to limit the movement ofthe a utment relatively to the rod, in the direction of cooking, and havin its said members united in the rear of said deflections to provide an engaging end. I.

29. In a spring actuated air gun, the combination of the cylinder, the iston working in the cylinder, the spring piston, the abutment for sa1d spring, the rod connected to the piston, working through the abutment, and extending beyond the abutment, a rack bar carrying the spring abutment, having guiding and confining bearings in the gun which permit it to slide in the direction of cooking the plunger and tensioning the spring, and a lever having a toothed segment engaging the rack bar and by its respective movements, sliding the rack bar to-irst cock the gun and then tension the spring.

30. In a spring actuated air gun, the combination of the cylinder, the plston working in the c linde'r, the spring for driving the piston, t e abutment for the spring, the rack bar having confining and guiding bearings iii-'the un and carrying the s ring abutment, t e bifurcated piston ro connected with the piston, extending) through the spring and having guiding earings inthe p unger and embracing the opposite sides of the rack bar, and -the operating lever having a toothed segment engaging the rack bar by its respective movements, piston and then tensioning the spring.

31. In a gun, the combination of the frame, the frame'extension, the barrel member fitted over and engaging'with the frame extension, a cooking lever and the pintle for the cocking lever passing through the frame and .frame extension; said frame extension extending at'an angle to the axis ofthe gun, from said pintle to the barrel,- forming a brace for the assembled parts.

32. In a gun, the combination of a frame having a downward rojection, a cooking i lever, a pintle by Whic said cocking lever is fulcrumed in sald i 'jection, a frame extenor driving the first cocking the sion secured to t e frame projection by j means ofl said pintle and extending forwardly and upwardly therefromv and a barrel secured to the frame extension and braced by the angular portion of said frame extension.

The fore oing specification Springfield lassachusetts this June, 1907. u

ELBERT HAMILTON SEARLE. In presence 0f- I Y THOMAS C. MAHER,

J Osma DEARBORN.

signed at 20th dayT of 

